Stephen F Austin., founder of the first American colony in Texas, son of Moses Austin, died Dec. 27, 1836. Setting out from Natchitoches, July 5,1821, to follow up the grant previously issued to his father authorizing the formation of a colony, he went to the city of Mexico, where it was specially confirmed Feb. 18, 1823. By it he was clothed with almost absolute power over the colonists, and only obliged to report to the captain general. The colony, since become Austin, the capital of Texas, of which he selected the site after a careful reconnoitring of the country, had been previa ously organized by him upon the basis of giving to each man 640 acres of land, 320 for a wife, 160 for each child, and 80 acres for each slave; and the immigrants being made up in great part of young unmarried men, he induced them to unite in pairs, making one of them the head of the family thus constituted, which singular arrangement is said to have resulted to the satisfaction of all concerned. In spite of frequent trouble with the Indians, the colony prospered, and, being followed by a considerable number of similar associations, the influx of Americans was so large that they met March 1, 1833, without the concurrence of the Mexican population, in a convention to form a constitution for the as yet Mexican state of Texas. Austin was one of the delegates chosen to carry the result of their deliberations to the central government at Mexico, and obtain its ratification.

The delays and frequent revolutions at Mexico leading him to despair of success in his mission, he addressed a letter to the people of Texas, recommending a union of all the municipalities to organize a state. For this he was arrested and kept in prison three months, until released by Santa Anna, who continued to hold him as a sort of hostage. In September, 1835, he returned to Texas, took part with the revolutionary party, which had been forming in his absence, and was put in command of their little army. His first act was to send into eastern Texas for Gen. Houston, who was soon elected to the chief command, Austin being appointed a commissioner to the United States. Here he acted with prudence, and was very successful in preparing the public mind for the independence and annexation of the new republic. After spending some time in advocating this measure, he returned to Texas in July, 1830; and he died while still engaged in negotiations.